What do you think?
Rate this book
You'll Be Sorry
A newlywed couple each with their own secrets. An abandoned lodge with a horrific decades-old mystery. And a small mountain town where everyone believes they know their neighbors…except they don’t.
For Raquel and Theo Collins, it appeared to be love at first sight. Raquel, a renowned interior designer, and Theo, a brash financial wizard met and married in a matter of months, only to confront a terrible tragedy. Now, unbearably aware of the distance between them, they’ve come to a remote town in New Hampshire to begin anew.
Perched on a ledge with stunning views, the Dixon’s family lodge was once a crown jewel of the mountains. Until late one August night, when both parents and their four children vanished, leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints, and a mystery that has endured for thirty years. Now, its latest occupants, the Collinses, are arriving, and the former grand lodge is once more stirring to life.
For Amanda Grady, following in her father’s footsteps as the recently appointed Shereford police chief, it’s good to see a fresh start for the derelict Dixon place. However, not everyone is happy about a new family in the old home and its hidden past may have returned with a vengeance.
When a stray dog leads to the discovery of a skeleton on the property, Raquel and Theo face a daunting choice of what to believe, who to trust, and how to survive. Because in the tiny village of Shereford the time has come. The local residents, the new neighbors, and the fledgling police chief must work together to unravel the terrifying events that happened one night thirty years ago, or…
You’ll be sorry.
For Raquel and Theo Collins, it appeared to be love at first sight. Raquel, a renowned interior designer, and Theo, a brash financial wizard met and married in a matter of months, only to confront a terrible tragedy. Now, unbearably aware of the distance between them, they’ve come to a remote town in New Hampshire to begin anew.
Perched on a ledge with stunning views, the Dixon’s family lodge was once a crown jewel of the mountains. Until late one August night, when both parents and their four children vanished, leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints, and a mystery that has endured for thirty years. Now, its latest occupants, the Collinses, are arriving, and the former grand lodge is once more stirring to life.
For Amanda Grady, following in her father’s footsteps as the recently appointed Shereford police chief, it’s good to see a fresh start for the derelict Dixon place. However, not everyone is happy about a new family in the old home and its hidden past may have returned with a vengeance.
When a stray dog leads to the discovery of a skeleton on the property, Raquel and Theo face a daunting choice of what to believe, who to trust, and how to survive. Because in the tiny village of Shereford the time has come. The local residents, the new neighbors, and the fledgling police chief must work together to unravel the terrifying events that happened one night thirty years ago, or…
You’ll be sorry.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published August 4, 2026
About the author
Lisa Gardner
85 books21.2k followersLisa Gardner is the #1 New York Times bestselling thriller author of the Frankie Elkin series, as well as the Detective D.D. Warren, the FBI Profilers and the PI Tessa Leoni series.
Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!
Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!
Her current suspense novels feature Frankie Elkin, an everyday, average person who specializes in finding missing people. When the locals have given up, when the media has never bothered to care, Frankie takes on the challenge. From looking for a missing teen in inner city Boston to searching for a missing hiker in the wilds of Wyoming to rescuing a possibly kidnapped girl on a remote island in the Pacific, Frankie is on the case!
Lisa lives in the mountains of New Hampshire with two crazy pups. When not writing, Lisa loves to hike, play cribbage, and, of course, read!
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
August 7, 2026
When I started reading this book, and up to pretty much, halfway through, I had a sense of dread, and foreboding, with my arms resembling goose flesh. Lisa Gardner has a special knack of reeling the reader in, and making them live each dreadful moment as if IRL.
One of the founding families of the town, The Dixon’s, one stormy night vanish into thin air, leaving a trail of bloody footprints, with only their new “stray” dog alerting the police to the scene. Thirty years later, uber rich and newly wed couple, Raquel and Theo Collins have bought the vast property, with the stunning views. One day a dog similar to the Dixon’s, arrives, and starts digging on their property, revealing a disused well…housing a skeleton…
This was my first book by this author, and I was totally gripped throughout, so I will definitely be reading a lot more of her books. This was a tense, eerie, and chilling, small town mystery thriller, with a lot of secrets, past and present. I loved the relationship between Raquel and Theo, and the love they have for each other. I also really liked the new police chief, Mandy Grady, who is trying to follow in her father’s footsteps, and unravel this great mystery which has baffled the town for over thirty years. Highly recommended.
5 ⭐️
Thanks to Lisa Gardner, the publisher, and NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
Available: 13 August 2026
One of the founding families of the town, The Dixon’s, one stormy night vanish into thin air, leaving a trail of bloody footprints, with only their new “stray” dog alerting the police to the scene. Thirty years later, uber rich and newly wed couple, Raquel and Theo Collins have bought the vast property, with the stunning views. One day a dog similar to the Dixon’s, arrives, and starts digging on their property, revealing a disused well…housing a skeleton…
This was my first book by this author, and I was totally gripped throughout, so I will definitely be reading a lot more of her books. This was a tense, eerie, and chilling, small town mystery thriller, with a lot of secrets, past and present. I loved the relationship between Raquel and Theo, and the love they have for each other. I also really liked the new police chief, Mandy Grady, who is trying to follow in her father’s footsteps, and unravel this great mystery which has baffled the town for over thirty years. Highly recommended.
5 ⭐️
Thanks to Lisa Gardner, the publisher, and NetGalley, for providing me with this free ARC, with which I leave a voluntary review.
Available: 13 August 2026
August 6, 2026
You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner
Mystery, thriller.
Rachel and Theo Collins buy a home in remote New Hampshire. It was on the market for years because of an unsolved family disappearance thirty years ago. They may make it into a B&B but plans are still fluid. A stray dog shows up and befriends the couple. Then the dog finds an old well and mysteries unravel from there.
Sheriff Mandy Grady, following in her late father’s footsteps, has always been intrigued by the unsolved family disappearance. When old bones are found at the bottom of the well, she has to question if it has anything to do with the missing family.
🎧 via a second read, the audio is narrated by Hillary Huber. Fantastic overall experience. An occasional echo, or back ground noise in the audiobook gives a creepy factor to the story. One in particular actually gave me a quite a scare. I deliberately decided to listen in the daylight hours and I’m sure happy I made that choice.
Chilling story. Held me in thrall the entire way through.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Mystery, thriller.
Rachel and Theo Collins buy a home in remote New Hampshire. It was on the market for years because of an unsolved family disappearance thirty years ago. They may make it into a B&B but plans are still fluid. A stray dog shows up and befriends the couple. Then the dog finds an old well and mysteries unravel from there.
Sheriff Mandy Grady, following in her late father’s footsteps, has always been intrigued by the unsolved family disappearance. When old bones are found at the bottom of the well, she has to question if it has anything to do with the missing family.
🎧 via a second read, the audio is narrated by Hillary Huber. Fantastic overall experience. An occasional echo, or back ground noise in the audiobook gives a creepy factor to the story. One in particular actually gave me a quite a scare. I deliberately decided to listen in the daylight hours and I’m sure happy I made that choice.
Chilling story. Held me in thrall the entire way through.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
July 29, 2026
Eerie, twisty, tense small town mystery about crimes both past and present. I loved the interlocking POVs and the intrigue of solving a very puzzling cold case. There were almost too many details and twists at times but I ultimately enjoyed the ending.
There are dogs in this book! They are safe and well-loved!
Content warnings: rape (descriptions of/not on the page), child loss, infertility
There are dogs in this book! They are safe and well-loved!
Content warnings: rape (descriptions of/not on the page), child loss, infertility
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
It’s been a while since I picked up a mystery thriller and oh was it was nice to return to this genre. Very much overdue. Added bonus was this is a standalone, not connected to any of Gardner’s other series, so there were no existing dynamics to recall and every character was fresh and new. Not so the murders, though!
This story is all about the deeds from the past haunting the present. Mysteries unknown, unsolved, unresolved. And yes I mean mysteries. There are a few. Both related to the small town and also some that are brought there. But everything gets tangled up along the way to the reveals.
One of the mysteries in question felt very timely considering some of the crimes currently in circulation in our own news cycle but I love how Gardner both did and didn’t make a thing of it. I thought it very well done.
As with most small town settings, you usually get a pretty interesting cast of characters who populate said town. I can’t say anyone really stood out in that respect here, though. I think the story was strong because of the crimes as opposed to those who solved them, but the one exception? Or rather, the few exceptions? All the four leggeds. Shout out to Dog the dog and all of his relations. However, I did also like a certain woods-dwelling resident, they turned out to be a really interesting surprise.
At a certain point there were two things I did guess (correctly!) but that didn’t ruin anything for me. Instead I was pleased to have it proven right. The motivation for one of the crimes, however.. I don’t know. Still mulling that over. Big picture wise it doesn’t really matter because of so many other factors in the mix but.. it also kind of does? Anyway I’ll be poking through some reviews to see if anyone else felt the same about that. That said..
Definitely would recommend this one for fans of Gardner’s work or just fans of the genre in general.
3.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
This story is all about the deeds from the past haunting the present. Mysteries unknown, unsolved, unresolved. And yes I mean mysteries. There are a few. Both related to the small town and also some that are brought there. But everything gets tangled up along the way to the reveals.
One of the mysteries in question felt very timely considering some of the crimes currently in circulation in our own news cycle but I love how Gardner both did and didn’t make a thing of it. I thought it very well done.
As with most small town settings, you usually get a pretty interesting cast of characters who populate said town. I can’t say anyone really stood out in that respect here, though. I think the story was strong because of the crimes as opposed to those who solved them, but the one exception? Or rather, the few exceptions? All the four leggeds. Shout out to Dog the dog and all of his relations. However, I did also like a certain woods-dwelling resident, they turned out to be a really interesting surprise.
At a certain point there were two things I did guess (correctly!) but that didn’t ruin anything for me. Instead I was pleased to have it proven right. The motivation for one of the crimes, however.. I don’t know. Still mulling that over. Big picture wise it doesn’t really matter because of so many other factors in the mix but.. it also kind of does? Anyway I’ll be poking through some reviews to see if anyone else felt the same about that. That said..
Definitely would recommend this one for fans of Gardner’s work or just fans of the genre in general.
3.5 stars
** I received an ARC from the publisher (thank you!) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. **
---
This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
Want to Read
April 16, 2026love this author!! This sounds like a great new mystery! I can't wait to read it!!
August 8, 2026
Thank you Grand Central Publishing for my gifted arc. All opinions are my own.
Unfortunately this one missed the mark for me big time. I’ve read and enjoyed this author before so I was expecting a dark and twisty thriller but instead I got a confusing story where I didn’t connect with any of the characters besides the dog.
Don’t go into this one thinking it’s a thriller or crime fiction. The beginning had me intrigued but then I quickly lost interest and never recovered.
This had the makings for a great thriller but went in a completely different direction. I’m bummed!
Unfortunately this one missed the mark for me big time. I’ve read and enjoyed this author before so I was expecting a dark and twisty thriller but instead I got a confusing story where I didn’t connect with any of the characters besides the dog.
Don’t go into this one thinking it’s a thriller or crime fiction. The beginning had me intrigued but then I quickly lost interest and never recovered.
This had the makings for a great thriller but went in a completely different direction. I’m bummed!
August 6, 2026
You’ll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner is a gripping and layered mystery that keeps you on your toes from beginning to end. There is a lot happening in this story, with multiple characters and shifting perspectives, but if you stay focused, the payoff is absolutely worth it.
The novel centers around the Dixon house, recently purchased by Raquel and Theo, who are determined to restore it despite the unsettling history tied to the mysterious disappearance of the Dixon family years earlier. As the story unfolds, the truth behind what happened in that house slowly comes to light, creating an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere throughout.
One of the standout characters for me was Officer Amanda Grady. Her determination and investigative instincts made her storyline especially compelling, and I found myself most invested whenever she was working to piece together the mystery.
I listened to this as an audiobook, which added another layer to the experience. The sound effects and especially the haunting “witch song” brought the story to life in a unique way—and yes, that song will absolutely get stuck in your head!
Overall, this was an engaging and well-crafted thriller. While it can feel a bit complex at times, readers who enjoy intricate mysteries with strong characters will not be disappointed.
The novel centers around the Dixon house, recently purchased by Raquel and Theo, who are determined to restore it despite the unsettling history tied to the mysterious disappearance of the Dixon family years earlier. As the story unfolds, the truth behind what happened in that house slowly comes to light, creating an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere throughout.
One of the standout characters for me was Officer Amanda Grady. Her determination and investigative instincts made her storyline especially compelling, and I found myself most invested whenever she was working to piece together the mystery.
I listened to this as an audiobook, which added another layer to the experience. The sound effects and especially the haunting “witch song” brought the story to life in a unique way—and yes, that song will absolutely get stuck in your head!
Overall, this was an engaging and well-crafted thriller. While it can feel a bit complex at times, readers who enjoy intricate mysteries with strong characters will not be disappointed.
May 30, 2026
“Ding dong bell, the witch is in the well.”
This is Lisa’s first (highly anticipated standalone) mystery / suspense thriller in quite awhile. She is a master storyteller and I am always super excited when she releases a new book. She NEVER disappoints.
A thrilling small town, age-old cold case that is smartly paced & that’s sure to keep you glued to the edge of your seat. As the plot unfolded, I was enveloped in a sense of dread, unease, and noose-tightening tension.
My thoughts:
* Thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end.
* Masterly crafted where I found myself immersed in the world the author created.
* The setting is creepy, the atmosphere evocative & the mystery compelling.
* Deliciously twisted, clever & entertaining with unsettling damaged characters that are perfectly realized.
* A gripping memorable read which deserves all the praise.
* I devoured every word, every page, every chapter.
This was pretty much perfect for me & I’ll be recommending to everyone I know who loves mystery / suspense & a cracking good tale of twists, turns & uncertainties.
Favorite Lines: “He wasn’t just a person, he was a place, a state of being she’d never expected before and would never know again.”
“If a moth is drawn to a flame, then the Dixon family has always been my bonfire.”
Many thanks to Lisa for the gifted signed ARC. You always come through for me.
This is Lisa’s first (highly anticipated standalone) mystery / suspense thriller in quite awhile. She is a master storyteller and I am always super excited when she releases a new book. She NEVER disappoints.
A thrilling small town, age-old cold case that is smartly paced & that’s sure to keep you glued to the edge of your seat. As the plot unfolded, I was enveloped in a sense of dread, unease, and noose-tightening tension.
My thoughts:
* Thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end.
* Masterly crafted where I found myself immersed in the world the author created.
* The setting is creepy, the atmosphere evocative & the mystery compelling.
* Deliciously twisted, clever & entertaining with unsettling damaged characters that are perfectly realized.
* A gripping memorable read which deserves all the praise.
* I devoured every word, every page, every chapter.
This was pretty much perfect for me & I’ll be recommending to everyone I know who loves mystery / suspense & a cracking good tale of twists, turns & uncertainties.
Favorite Lines: “He wasn’t just a person, he was a place, a state of being she’d never expected before and would never know again.”
“If a moth is drawn to a flame, then the Dixon family has always been my bonfire.”
Many thanks to Lisa for the gifted signed ARC. You always come through for me.
May 27, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Grand Central Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first Lisa Gardner book, but I’ve seen her recommended so many times by mystery and thriller readers that I was really excited to finally pick one up — and it definitely lived up to the hype for me. From the beginning I wanted to know more, and it became one of those reads where I kept thinking about it when I wasn’t reading and stayed up reading until my eyes were closing.
What really worked for me was how layered the mystery was. There wasn’t just one central mystery — there were so many additional secrets and questions unfolding throughout the story that it constantly gave me something new to focus on. I especially liked Raquel and Theo and found myself most invested in their parts of the story.
I didn’t find the twists predictable overall, which is hard to pull off in crime thrillers. My biggest issue was that some of the discoveries and connections felt a little too easy for the characters to figure out, especially involving the babies/wells storyline. Some conclusions came together much faster than I think I would realistically expect.
That said, the pacing completely worked for me. It hooked me immediately and never really let go. The ending wrapped up most of the major questions in a satisfying way, even if some resolutions felt a little convenient.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy crime mysteries with multiple interconnected secrets and fast-moving suspense.
This was my first Lisa Gardner book, but I’ve seen her recommended so many times by mystery and thriller readers that I was really excited to finally pick one up — and it definitely lived up to the hype for me. From the beginning I wanted to know more, and it became one of those reads where I kept thinking about it when I wasn’t reading and stayed up reading until my eyes were closing.
What really worked for me was how layered the mystery was. There wasn’t just one central mystery — there were so many additional secrets and questions unfolding throughout the story that it constantly gave me something new to focus on. I especially liked Raquel and Theo and found myself most invested in their parts of the story.
I didn’t find the twists predictable overall, which is hard to pull off in crime thrillers. My biggest issue was that some of the discoveries and connections felt a little too easy for the characters to figure out, especially involving the babies/wells storyline. Some conclusions came together much faster than I think I would realistically expect.
That said, the pacing completely worked for me. It hooked me immediately and never really let go. The ending wrapped up most of the major questions in a satisfying way, even if some resolutions felt a little convenient.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this to readers who enjoy crime mysteries with multiple interconnected secrets and fast-moving suspense.
August 4, 2026
This took so many twists and turns, I wasn’t sure where we’d end up until the end! Super suspenseful and engaging mystery. Creepy and eerie without being too much. A solid read for thriller lovers!
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
Thank you to the publisher for the gifted arc
August 5, 2026
You’ll Be Sorry by @lisagardnerbks
Pub date: OUT NOW Publisher: @grandcentralpub
This may be the perfect spooky season thriller. You’ve got a mystery inside a mystery inside a mystery, and I promise you, you will not figure it out. I pride myself in figuring out twists or whodunnits before the end of the book, this one stumped me. This book not only caters to true crime fans in regards to a 30 year old disappearance, but there’s also another story being told and it is CREEPY and disturbing. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery, look elsewhere, this one is dark and will keep you on your toes!
Side note: the dog lives
Pub date: OUT NOW Publisher: @grandcentralpub
This may be the perfect spooky season thriller. You’ve got a mystery inside a mystery inside a mystery, and I promise you, you will not figure it out. I pride myself in figuring out twists or whodunnits before the end of the book, this one stumped me. This book not only caters to true crime fans in regards to a 30 year old disappearance, but there’s also another story being told and it is CREEPY and disturbing. If you’re looking for a cozy mystery, look elsewhere, this one is dark and will keep you on your toes!
Side note: the dog lives
August 7, 2026
3.75 ⭐️ Newlyweds Raquel and Theo move to a remote New Hampshire town to start over, only to discover their new lodge has a dark history. Thirty years ago, an entire family disappeared from the property, and when human remains are found, the mystery is reopened.
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. It immediately pulled me in, and I loved the creepy atmosphere of the lodge and the small town where everyone seems to have secrets. There was also a slight paranormal aspect that I thought was interesting and added to the eerie feeling.
There were A LOT of secrets and mysteries happening at the same time, though, and eventually things started getting a little confusing. There were so many different pieces to keep track of that I sometimes struggled to see how everything connected. The story also goes pretty deeply into the town’s history, including the old midwives, witches, and tragedies from the past. Some of this was interesting, but I did feel like it slowed the pacing down.
I also thought the reasoning behind one of the killings was a little far-fetched, but the book was still pretty twisty and kept me guessing. I definitely had theories that turned out to be wrong, which I always appreciate in a mystery.
Overall, it was good. The creepy atmosphere and twists kept me interested, even though the number of secrets and different storylines became a little overwhelming at times.
I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. It immediately pulled me in, and I loved the creepy atmosphere of the lodge and the small town where everyone seems to have secrets. There was also a slight paranormal aspect that I thought was interesting and added to the eerie feeling.
There were A LOT of secrets and mysteries happening at the same time, though, and eventually things started getting a little confusing. There were so many different pieces to keep track of that I sometimes struggled to see how everything connected. The story also goes pretty deeply into the town’s history, including the old midwives, witches, and tragedies from the past. Some of this was interesting, but I did feel like it slowed the pacing down.
I also thought the reasoning behind one of the killings was a little far-fetched, but the book was still pretty twisty and kept me guessing. I definitely had theories that turned out to be wrong, which I always appreciate in a mystery.
Overall, it was good. The creepy atmosphere and twists kept me interested, even though the number of secrets and different storylines became a little overwhelming at times.
August 9, 2026
Unfortunately, this one really didn’t work for me.
I spent a lot of the book feeling confused and questioning what was actually going on. There were so many things that didn’t make sense to me, and instead of making me curious, the unanswered questions just became frustrating. I kept waiting for everything to come together, but when it finally did, I was left thinking… seriously? 😭
The story also felt way too long for what it was. I think it could have been much shorter and more effective without all the extra parts that dragged the story out.
I really wanted to enjoy this one, but by the end I was mostly just ready for it to be over. The premise had potential, but the execution just felt messy and, honestly, a little stupid at times.
Definitely not for me.
I spent a lot of the book feeling confused and questioning what was actually going on. There were so many things that didn’t make sense to me, and instead of making me curious, the unanswered questions just became frustrating. I kept waiting for everything to come together, but when it finally did, I was left thinking… seriously? 😭
The story also felt way too long for what it was. I think it could have been much shorter and more effective without all the extra parts that dragged the story out.
I really wanted to enjoy this one, but by the end I was mostly just ready for it to be over. The premise had potential, but the execution just felt messy and, honestly, a little stupid at times.
Definitely not for me.
August 1, 2026
This was a fast paced small town mystery that grabbed my attention from the start. The atmospheric and isolated setting made for the perfect backdrop for this mysterious story. The disappearance aspect of the story was what really drew me in, especially since it was a family of six of disappeared without a trace.
Even though this one hooked me, my attention did waver through the last half of the book. And some parts of the story got a little confusing since there was so much going on. It was still a really enjoyable read, it just wasn’t a standout for me.
Read this if you like:
Isolated setting
Missing family
Multiple POVs
Standalone
Thank you @grandcentralpub for the gifted copy of the book.
Even though this one hooked me, my attention did waver through the last half of the book. And some parts of the story got a little confusing since there was so much going on. It was still a really enjoyable read, it just wasn’t a standout for me.
Read this if you like:
Isolated setting
Missing family
Multiple POVs
Standalone
Thank you @grandcentralpub for the gifted copy of the book.
June 6, 2026
Good stand alone. As always, her characters filled with law enforcement depth made me want to read late into the night. There are always dogs and the case is always wrapped up.
June 18, 2026
Generally love Lisa’s books but this one just fell flat and was far fetched and even confusing. I never felt invested in the story.
July 28, 2026
BLURB:
Raquel Collins & husband, Theo, move to Shereford, New Hampshire, for a fresh start. When a stray dog uncovers human bones at their newly purchased lodge, Chief Amanda Grady reopens the 30-year-old cold case of the Dixon family’s disappearance.
REVIEW:
Having read and loved Lisa Gardner’s Frankie Elkin series, I knew I had to pick up her latest standalone, and just a few chapters in I was reminded why she’s one of my favorite thriller authors! This book showcases everything she does so well—intricate storytelling, multiple mysteries, and characters who feel SO real and are easy to invest in. And this story has so many moving pieces that it makes it impossible to predict much until near the end.
This is a dual-timeline, multi-POV story that immediately hooked me with a compelling prologue set in 1998, when the wealthy Dixon family are spending the summer at their mountain lodge. After a violent storm, both parents and their four children vanish without a trace, leaving behind bloody footprints, and the mystery remains unsolved. The story then shifts to the present day, where Police Chief Amanda “Mandy” Grady, daughter of the late Chief Ian Grady, who was on the scene when the Dixons vanished, reopens the Dixon case. The abandoned lodge has sat empty since the Dixons disappeared until Raquel and Theo Collins unexpectedly buy it and begin restoring it, stirring curiosity and suspicion in town.
The POVs shift between Amanda, Raquel, and an anonymous narrator who speaks directly to the reader, often in cryptic riddles, foreshadowing truths that are about to resurface and justice that will finally be served. To be honest, I was initially very confused when this anonymous narrator appeared mid-chapters on the audio, but stay tuned b/c their eventual identity reveal is so clever!
Without giving anything away, Gardner incorporates local witch folklore and the town’s founding families after mysterious bones are discovered. I loved how so many historical elements were woven into the mystery & how intricate Mandy’s investigation became.
Both Amanda and Raquel are really well developed, and although they’re very different, I was invested in both early on. Raquel’s mysterious past and the former identity she’s been hiding, even from her husband Theo, kept me guessing and were slowly revealed. There are also several memorable supporting characters in Shereford, and many seem suspicious. You need to pay attention to the small details in conversations if you want any chance atpredicting the twists.
And the dogs in the story completely stole my heart. A mysterious stray appears in both timelines, looking eerily similar and arriving at very serendipitous moments. Their fierce loyalty, protectiveness, and appearing exactly when needed made them my favorite characters!
The chapters are relatively short & the story has just enough complexity to never feel overwhelming. The climactic scenes bring all the major threads together, and while I guessed the villain at the last minute before the reveal, there were still last-minute surprises that caught me off guard. I finished with not even a minor complaint (which is rare for me), hence my 5-star rating! If you enjoy slow-burn, intricate thrillers, authentic characters, layered mysteries, and multiple twists, I can’t recommend this one enough!
And if you’re an audio listener, you’re in for a major treat. Hillary Huber, who brilliantly narrated all of Lisa Gardner’s Frankie Elkin novels, returns to narrate this standalone and delivers! She gives every character a distinctive voice in a dynamic performance that captures all the atmospheric suspense and witchy lore. Her delivery of the eerie folklore rhymes is still stuck in my head! A truly memorable performance!
Raquel Collins & husband, Theo, move to Shereford, New Hampshire, for a fresh start. When a stray dog uncovers human bones at their newly purchased lodge, Chief Amanda Grady reopens the 30-year-old cold case of the Dixon family’s disappearance.
REVIEW:
Having read and loved Lisa Gardner’s Frankie Elkin series, I knew I had to pick up her latest standalone, and just a few chapters in I was reminded why she’s one of my favorite thriller authors! This book showcases everything she does so well—intricate storytelling, multiple mysteries, and characters who feel SO real and are easy to invest in. And this story has so many moving pieces that it makes it impossible to predict much until near the end.
This is a dual-timeline, multi-POV story that immediately hooked me with a compelling prologue set in 1998, when the wealthy Dixon family are spending the summer at their mountain lodge. After a violent storm, both parents and their four children vanish without a trace, leaving behind bloody footprints, and the mystery remains unsolved. The story then shifts to the present day, where Police Chief Amanda “Mandy” Grady, daughter of the late Chief Ian Grady, who was on the scene when the Dixons vanished, reopens the Dixon case. The abandoned lodge has sat empty since the Dixons disappeared until Raquel and Theo Collins unexpectedly buy it and begin restoring it, stirring curiosity and suspicion in town.
The POVs shift between Amanda, Raquel, and an anonymous narrator who speaks directly to the reader, often in cryptic riddles, foreshadowing truths that are about to resurface and justice that will finally be served. To be honest, I was initially very confused when this anonymous narrator appeared mid-chapters on the audio, but stay tuned b/c their eventual identity reveal is so clever!
Without giving anything away, Gardner incorporates local witch folklore and the town’s founding families after mysterious bones are discovered. I loved how so many historical elements were woven into the mystery & how intricate Mandy’s investigation became.
Both Amanda and Raquel are really well developed, and although they’re very different, I was invested in both early on. Raquel’s mysterious past and the former identity she’s been hiding, even from her husband Theo, kept me guessing and were slowly revealed. There are also several memorable supporting characters in Shereford, and many seem suspicious. You need to pay attention to the small details in conversations if you want any chance atpredicting the twists.
And the dogs in the story completely stole my heart. A mysterious stray appears in both timelines, looking eerily similar and arriving at very serendipitous moments. Their fierce loyalty, protectiveness, and appearing exactly when needed made them my favorite characters!
The chapters are relatively short & the story has just enough complexity to never feel overwhelming. The climactic scenes bring all the major threads together, and while I guessed the villain at the last minute before the reveal, there were still last-minute surprises that caught me off guard. I finished with not even a minor complaint (which is rare for me), hence my 5-star rating! If you enjoy slow-burn, intricate thrillers, authentic characters, layered mysteries, and multiple twists, I can’t recommend this one enough!
And if you’re an audio listener, you’re in for a major treat. Hillary Huber, who brilliantly narrated all of Lisa Gardner’s Frankie Elkin novels, returns to narrate this standalone and delivers! She gives every character a distinctive voice in a dynamic performance that captures all the atmospheric suspense and witchy lore. Her delivery of the eerie folklore rhymes is still stuck in my head! A truly memorable performance!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
You'll Be Sorry by Lisa Gardner is a standalone mystery about deep, dark family secrets and cursed land. Dig too deep, and you'll be sorry. That's exactly what a pair of new homeowners do after discovering a body on their property.
This is a fast paced mystery filled with twists and turns. Gardner is a puppet master, distracting the reader with one mystery only to quietly introduce another before you even realize it. The novel juggles the mystery of the body, the mystery of the cursed land, and the personal mysteries surrounding several of its characters. I was able to solve some of them, but there were plenty that completely surprised me.
The characters are what make this novel stand out. It is told through multiple perspectives, something I'm not always a fan of, but Gardner gives each character such a distinct voice that I was never confused about whose perspective I was reading. Everyone in this small town is invested in the mystery. Some are simply curious, some desperately want the past to stay buried, and some have far more personal reasons for wanting the truth to remain hidden.
The history of the cursed land is fascinating. The creepy witch's poem and the curse surrounding it become mysteries of their own, and I loved uncovering those pieces alongside the central investigation. I love stories involving witches, and Gardner blends those elements into the mystery extremely well.
I was especially impressed with Gardner's writing. Although I've seen her books everywhere from Walmart to Target, I always assumed they would be similar to James Patterson's style: straightforward prose designed simply to move the plot along. Instead, I found her writing surprisingly rich. She can establish an entire character's life story in just a few pages while making me genuinely care about them. One character's backstory, told in only three pages, was both compelling and heartbreaking. The novel also opens with a spicy scene that I wasn't expecting, but it was handled very well. Gardner writes characters who feel warm and approachable, yet still have an edge to them. They're the kind of people you immediately like, but they also won't hesitate to tell you to screw off.
You'll Be Sorry is a book you'll be sorry you missed. The writing is excellent, the mystery is consistently engaging, and Gardner layers together both large and small mysteries that keep the pages turning.
This was my first Lisa Gardner novel, but it definitely won't be my last. If you've read her books before, I'd love to know which series I should start next.
I highly recommend picking this one up when it's released. It strikes a wonderful balance between cozy characters and a dark mystery rooted in family secrets and a cursed past.
One content warning: miscarriage is an important part of one character's backstory and ongoing trauma. I thought Gardner handled it respectfully and never exploited it for shock value.
This is a fast paced mystery filled with twists and turns. Gardner is a puppet master, distracting the reader with one mystery only to quietly introduce another before you even realize it. The novel juggles the mystery of the body, the mystery of the cursed land, and the personal mysteries surrounding several of its characters. I was able to solve some of them, but there were plenty that completely surprised me.
The characters are what make this novel stand out. It is told through multiple perspectives, something I'm not always a fan of, but Gardner gives each character such a distinct voice that I was never confused about whose perspective I was reading. Everyone in this small town is invested in the mystery. Some are simply curious, some desperately want the past to stay buried, and some have far more personal reasons for wanting the truth to remain hidden.
The history of the cursed land is fascinating. The creepy witch's poem and the curse surrounding it become mysteries of their own, and I loved uncovering those pieces alongside the central investigation. I love stories involving witches, and Gardner blends those elements into the mystery extremely well.
I was especially impressed with Gardner's writing. Although I've seen her books everywhere from Walmart to Target, I always assumed they would be similar to James Patterson's style: straightforward prose designed simply to move the plot along. Instead, I found her writing surprisingly rich. She can establish an entire character's life story in just a few pages while making me genuinely care about them. One character's backstory, told in only three pages, was both compelling and heartbreaking. The novel also opens with a spicy scene that I wasn't expecting, but it was handled very well. Gardner writes characters who feel warm and approachable, yet still have an edge to them. They're the kind of people you immediately like, but they also won't hesitate to tell you to screw off.
You'll Be Sorry is a book you'll be sorry you missed. The writing is excellent, the mystery is consistently engaging, and Gardner layers together both large and small mysteries that keep the pages turning.
This was my first Lisa Gardner novel, but it definitely won't be my last. If you've read her books before, I'd love to know which series I should start next.
I highly recommend picking this one up when it's released. It strikes a wonderful balance between cozy characters and a dark mystery rooted in family secrets and a cursed past.
One content warning: miscarriage is an important part of one character's backstory and ongoing trauma. I thought Gardner handled it respectfully and never exploited it for shock value.
August 10, 2026
I thoroughly enjoyed You'll Be Sorry. It's my first Lisa Gardner, but it definitely won't be my last.
Based on the cover, I was expecting a slightly darker read (it was giving Home Before Dark|Riley Sager vibes). While it's certainly creepy, it almost leaned cosy, with the light comic relief of some of the towns residents in particular. In fact, what made it slightly more discomfiting was the quick switching between the day-to-day, and then the almost macabre.
I really enjoyed the Mary-Celeste-esque premise, and the various twists and turns which made this a truly unique read. The ending was satisfying and I loved the tongue in cheek writing. My favourite thrillers play with the possibility of the supernatural, and this really well, made even the more compelling by the historical elements.
I'd highly recommend for anyone looking for an entertaining and thrilling read. Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.
Based on the cover, I was expecting a slightly darker read (it was giving Home Before Dark|Riley Sager vibes). While it's certainly creepy, it almost leaned cosy, with the light comic relief of some of the towns residents in particular. In fact, what made it slightly more discomfiting was the quick switching between the day-to-day, and then the almost macabre.
I really enjoyed the Mary-Celeste-esque premise, and the various twists and turns which made this a truly unique read. The ending was satisfying and I loved the tongue in cheek writing. My favourite thrillers play with the possibility of the supernatural, and this really well, made even the more compelling by the historical elements.
I'd highly recommend for anyone looking for an entertaining and thrilling read. Thank you to the publisher for an advance copy of this book via NetGalley. Opinions expressed are my own.
August 10, 2026
AUDIO IS SOOOO GOOD!
August 9, 2026
Solid stand alone mystery.
Read
July 19, 2026A Lisa Gardner standalone!
This small town mystery had a bit of a Widow's Bay feel about it (minus the paranormal stuff).
In 1998 small town New Hampshire, the entire Dixon family disappears mysteriously during a storm.
Decades later, Mandy Grady is the police chief, filling the shoes of her father, who was chief during the Dixon case. When a newlywed couple moves into the Dixon house and discovers a terrible secret, the Dixon case is back in the spotlight.
I love a good small town mystery. Add a legendary cold case to that and I'm hooked. This was a more plot-driven book with a nice small town feel and it kept my interest until the end!
This small town mystery had a bit of a Widow's Bay feel about it (minus the paranormal stuff).
In 1998 small town New Hampshire, the entire Dixon family disappears mysteriously during a storm.
Decades later, Mandy Grady is the police chief, filling the shoes of her father, who was chief during the Dixon case. When a newlywed couple moves into the Dixon house and discovers a terrible secret, the Dixon case is back in the spotlight.
I love a good small town mystery. Add a legendary cold case to that and I'm hooked. This was a more plot-driven book with a nice small town feel and it kept my interest until the end!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
When Fresh Starts Unearth Long-Buried Sins.
Lisa Gardner (favorite author) delivers an absolute masterclass in suspense with You'll Be Sorry. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of a remote New Hampshire mountain town, this brilliant standalone perfectly weaves a haunting thirty-year-old cold case with intense, modern psychological dread. It is an emotionally gripping, expertly paced whodunit thriller that proves once again why Gardner is a titan of the genre—unputdownable from the very first page.
Unearthing Skeletons in Shereford.
The Hook
Thirty years ago, the Dixon family vanished from their mountain lodge, leaving behind nothing but an empty house and a chilling trail of bloody footprints. Now, a newlywed couple has just bought the infamous property—and their renovations are about to uncover a hidden skeleton.
Elevator Pitch
Looking to escape a recent personal tragedy, Raquel and Theo Collins buy a derelict mountain mansion in New Hampshire for renovation. But when a mysterious stray dog unearths human remains on the property, the couple is forced to team up with a rookie police chief to solve a three-decade-old cold case before the town’s deadly history repeats itself.
Setting
The remote, insular mountain town of Shereford, New Hampshire. The central backdrop is the Dixon family lodge, a grand but eerie estate perched on a mountain ledge, abandoned to nature for thirty years after the family vanished.
Vibe
Late-summer gothic mystery suspense. The atmosphere relies heavily on dense New England woods, suffocating small-town containment, and a creeping dread that mirrors the long-buried historical horrors unraveled under the summer sun.
Genre
Psychological Thriller / Crime Thriller / Police Procedural Standalone
Themes
~The Weight of Secrets: How keeping truths hidden erodes relationships and small towns.
~Legacy and Expectations: Stepping out from the shadow of parental failures.
~Grief and Rebirth: Navigating intense personal trauma and rebuilding after loss.
Standout Characters
~Raquel Collins: A guarded, highly successful interior designer struggling with the deep trauma of a recent tragedy.
~Theo Collins: Her charismatic financial wizard husband whose optimism masks his own complex relationship secrets.
~Amanda Grady: The newly appointed, highly rootable local police chief determined to solve the case that broke her late father.
~Dog: The mysterious local stray—referred to simply as "Dog" by the community—who acts as the story's critical catalyst when he arrives on the property and uncovers the long-buried skeletal remains.
Author Writing Standout
Gardner acts as a literal puppet master, deftly building layers of historical mysteries, town curses, and ancient lore alongside current-day marital tension. Her meticulous research into local history and police procedure grounds the twisty narrative in sharp, authentic reality.
Never trust a flawless couple, a tight-lipped mountain town, or a stray dog who knows exactly where the bodies are hidden.
⏳ Dual Timelines
~The Past (30 Years Ago): Tracks the final, ominous days leading up to that late August night when the entire Dixon family vanishes from their New Hampshire lodge, leaving behind zero answers and a trail of bloody footprints.
~The Present (Current Day): Follows newlyweds Raquel and Theo after the local stray, Dog, digs up a human skeleton on the property, launching rookie police chief Amanda Grady into a cold-case investigation that forces everyone's secrets into the light.
Takeaway
The past is never truly buried; it simply waits for the right person to start digging.
Title Significance
"You'll Be Sorry" is both a literal warning echoed by suspicious locals to the newcomers and a thematic promise that keeping dark secrets will eventually exact a devastating cost.
Metaphor
The Dixon family lodge is a decaying monument to a perfect life, beautifully polished on the outside but rotting with structural secrets and buried sins underneath.
Why You Should Read
If you are a Gardner fan, love standalones that require no prior series knowledge but still deliver a masterclass in pacing, deeply flawed characters, and double-layered mysteries, this belongs on your shelf.
My Thoughts
As a long-time Gardner enthusiast who has read, devoured, and analyzed her trajectory across the D.D. Warren and Frankie Elkin eras and more, You'll Be Sorry stands out as her most structurally ambitious standalone yet. The atmospheric friction she builds within Shereford is magnificent. Gardner plays with reader expectations by grounding the procedural track in meticulous forensic detail spanning from centuries-old records to the modern day, contrasting it brilliantly against the intense, suffocating isolation of the mountain lodge. Raquel’s grief is written with a raw, visceral gravity that elevates the psychological stakes, proving that Gardner doesn't just write pulse-pounding plots—she writes deeply fractured human hearts. It is masterfully executed, intricately layered, and a triumphant reminder of why she sets the standard for modern suspense.
Lisa Gardner is also a passionate animal advocate who frequently embeds prominent canine characters into her thrillers which is always a treat! “An electrifying, atmosphere-drenched triumph that reminds readers exactly why Lisa Gardner rules the suspense genre.”
Verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars
"An Absolute Masterpiece! A flawless masterclass in suspense that demands to be read in a single sitting. Cancel your plans, lock your doors, and prepare for an all-nighter. Gardner is at the absolute zenith of her storytelling powers, delivering a gripping, emotionally bruising standalone that commands a permanent spot on your favorites shelf. Miss it, and you'll be sorry."
Recs or Read-Alikes
~Still See You Everywhere by Lisa Gardner
~Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
~The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes
~We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
~First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Other similar authors: Lisa Jewell, Taylor Adams, Mary Kubica, Alice Feeney, Lisa Unger, Harlan Coben, Heather Gudenkauf, and Joshua Moehling.
Special thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. I am looking forward to listening to the audiobook narratored by the fabulouly talented Hillary Huber, a favorite.
Blog review posted @
JuditihDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 04, 2026
Aug Newsletter
August 2026 Must-Read Books
Lisa Gardner (favorite author) delivers an absolute masterclass in suspense with You'll Be Sorry. Set against the atmospheric backdrop of a remote New Hampshire mountain town, this brilliant standalone perfectly weaves a haunting thirty-year-old cold case with intense, modern psychological dread. It is an emotionally gripping, expertly paced whodunit thriller that proves once again why Gardner is a titan of the genre—unputdownable from the very first page.
Unearthing Skeletons in Shereford.
The Hook
Thirty years ago, the Dixon family vanished from their mountain lodge, leaving behind nothing but an empty house and a chilling trail of bloody footprints. Now, a newlywed couple has just bought the infamous property—and their renovations are about to uncover a hidden skeleton.
Elevator Pitch
Looking to escape a recent personal tragedy, Raquel and Theo Collins buy a derelict mountain mansion in New Hampshire for renovation. But when a mysterious stray dog unearths human remains on the property, the couple is forced to team up with a rookie police chief to solve a three-decade-old cold case before the town’s deadly history repeats itself.
Setting
The remote, insular mountain town of Shereford, New Hampshire. The central backdrop is the Dixon family lodge, a grand but eerie estate perched on a mountain ledge, abandoned to nature for thirty years after the family vanished.
Vibe
Late-summer gothic mystery suspense. The atmosphere relies heavily on dense New England woods, suffocating small-town containment, and a creeping dread that mirrors the long-buried historical horrors unraveled under the summer sun.
Genre
Psychological Thriller / Crime Thriller / Police Procedural Standalone
Themes
~The Weight of Secrets: How keeping truths hidden erodes relationships and small towns.
~Legacy and Expectations: Stepping out from the shadow of parental failures.
~Grief and Rebirth: Navigating intense personal trauma and rebuilding after loss.
Standout Characters
~Raquel Collins: A guarded, highly successful interior designer struggling with the deep trauma of a recent tragedy.
~Theo Collins: Her charismatic financial wizard husband whose optimism masks his own complex relationship secrets.
~Amanda Grady: The newly appointed, highly rootable local police chief determined to solve the case that broke her late father.
~Dog: The mysterious local stray—referred to simply as "Dog" by the community—who acts as the story's critical catalyst when he arrives on the property and uncovers the long-buried skeletal remains.
Author Writing Standout
Gardner acts as a literal puppet master, deftly building layers of historical mysteries, town curses, and ancient lore alongside current-day marital tension. Her meticulous research into local history and police procedure grounds the twisty narrative in sharp, authentic reality.
Never trust a flawless couple, a tight-lipped mountain town, or a stray dog who knows exactly where the bodies are hidden.
⏳ Dual Timelines
~The Past (30 Years Ago): Tracks the final, ominous days leading up to that late August night when the entire Dixon family vanishes from their New Hampshire lodge, leaving behind zero answers and a trail of bloody footprints.
~The Present (Current Day): Follows newlyweds Raquel and Theo after the local stray, Dog, digs up a human skeleton on the property, launching rookie police chief Amanda Grady into a cold-case investigation that forces everyone's secrets into the light.
Takeaway
The past is never truly buried; it simply waits for the right person to start digging.
Title Significance
"You'll Be Sorry" is both a literal warning echoed by suspicious locals to the newcomers and a thematic promise that keeping dark secrets will eventually exact a devastating cost.
Metaphor
The Dixon family lodge is a decaying monument to a perfect life, beautifully polished on the outside but rotting with structural secrets and buried sins underneath.
Why You Should Read
If you are a Gardner fan, love standalones that require no prior series knowledge but still deliver a masterclass in pacing, deeply flawed characters, and double-layered mysteries, this belongs on your shelf.
My Thoughts
As a long-time Gardner enthusiast who has read, devoured, and analyzed her trajectory across the D.D. Warren and Frankie Elkin eras and more, You'll Be Sorry stands out as her most structurally ambitious standalone yet. The atmospheric friction she builds within Shereford is magnificent. Gardner plays with reader expectations by grounding the procedural track in meticulous forensic detail spanning from centuries-old records to the modern day, contrasting it brilliantly against the intense, suffocating isolation of the mountain lodge. Raquel’s grief is written with a raw, visceral gravity that elevates the psychological stakes, proving that Gardner doesn't just write pulse-pounding plots—she writes deeply fractured human hearts. It is masterfully executed, intricately layered, and a triumphant reminder of why she sets the standard for modern suspense.
Lisa Gardner is also a passionate animal advocate who frequently embeds prominent canine characters into her thrillers which is always a treat! “An electrifying, atmosphere-drenched triumph that reminds readers exactly why Lisa Gardner rules the suspense genre.”
Verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 Stars
"An Absolute Masterpiece! A flawless masterclass in suspense that demands to be read in a single sitting. Cancel your plans, lock your doors, and prepare for an all-nighter. Gardner is at the absolute zenith of her storytelling powers, delivering a gripping, emotionally bruising standalone that commands a permanent spot on your favorites shelf. Miss it, and you'll be sorry."
Recs or Read-Alikes
~Still See You Everywhere by Lisa Gardner
~Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter
~The House in the Pines by Ana Reyes
~We Used to Live Here by Marcus Kliewer
~First Lie Wins by Ashley Elston
Other similar authors: Lisa Jewell, Taylor Adams, Mary Kubica, Alice Feeney, Lisa Unger, Harlan Coben, Heather Gudenkauf, and Joshua Moehling.
Special thanks to Grand Central Publishing and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy in exchange for my honest thoughts. I am looking forward to listening to the audiobook narratored by the fabulouly talented Hillary Huber, a favorite.
Blog review posted @
JuditihDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 5 Stars
Pub Date: Aug 04, 2026
Aug Newsletter
August 2026 Must-Read Books
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Some houses hold memories. Others hold warnings.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Some places don’t just have history; they have scars. In her highly anticipated new standalone thriller, You’ll Be Sorry, master storyteller Lisa Gardner constructs a masterfully crafted, noose-tightening tale of deep-rooted family secrets, cursed land, and the agonizing weight of the past. It is an evocative, deliciously twisted ride that proves once again why Gardner is a titan of the suspense genre.
Set against the creepy, isolated backdrop of a tiny New Hampshire mountain village, You’ll Be Sorry strikes a flawless balance between warm, approachable characters and a dark, suffocating sense of dread. The plot hooks you from the opening pages and never lets go, weaving a web of tension so thick you'll find yourself reading late into the night, whispering, "just one more chapter."
The Setup & The Setting
The story centres on the Dixon family lodge. Once the crown jewel of the mountains in Shereford, New Hampshire, it became the epicentre of a horrific mystery thirty years ago when both parents and their four children vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a trail of bloody footprints.
Decades later, the derelict property gets new occupants, but digging too deep into this cursed land comes with a price. When a stray dog unearths human remains on the property, the town's oldest cold case explodes back to life, forcing the locals, the new neighbours, and the law to unravel what really happened on that August night. Shereford isn't just a place where the story happens; with its forgotten wells, whispers of witchcraft, eerie local rhymes ("Ding dong bell, the witch is in the well"), and generations of buried trauma, the town itself becomes a living, breathing character in the mystery.
The Cast of Characters
Gardner’s greatest triumph in this novel is her brilliant use of multiple perspectives. She acts as a master puppet master, giving each character a voice so distinct, sharp, and authentic that you are never left confused.
1. Raquel Collins: A renowned interior designer who met and married her husband in a matter of months. Guarded and carrying deep personal secrets, Raquel is navigating the profound, ongoing trauma of a recent miscarriage. Her grief shapes her every choice, making her an emotionally complex and fiercely compelling protagonist.
2. Theo Collins: Raquel’s husband, a brash and highly successful financial wizard. Theo balances Raquel's guarded nature with warmth, optimism, and an endearing vulnerability. He isn't just a perfect husband archetype; he feels entirely genuine as he tries to help his wife rebuild their lives after an unimaginable loss.
3. Amanda Grady: The recently appointed Shereford Police Chief. Amanda is a fantastic, highly rootable heroine fighting to step out from the long shadow of her late father, the original investigator who failed to solve the Dixon disappearance thirty years prior. Watching her piece together clues while navigating the rigid expectations and quiet hostilities of a small town makes her journey exceptionally satisfying.
4. The Dogs: In a delightful twist, the canine characters in this book deserve their own billing. Far from background window-dressing, they bring genuine heart and humor to a dark narrative, actively driving the investigation forward in ways the human characters never could.
Rich Prose and Multi-Layered Suspense.
For readers who might expect the straightforward, plot-only prose typical of mainstream crime factory thrillers, Gardner will be a spectacular surprise. Her writing here is remarkably rich. She possesses the rare ability to establish an entire character’s heartbreaking life story in just three pages, making you care deeply about them before throwing them into the gauntlet. Her characters have a brilliant edge; they are warm and instantly likeable, but possess a grit that ensures they won't hesitate to tell a nosy neighbour to screw off.
The narrative successfully juggles an impressive number of moving pieces: multiple timelines, hidden identities, regional folklore, and personal grief. Gardner masterfully distracts you with one central mystery while quietly introducing another right under your nose. While a few of the late-stage connections and resolutions involving the "babies and wells" storyline come together a bit too quickly and conveniently, the breakneck pacing ensures you won't care. You are simply along for the ride.
My Verdict.
You’ll Be Sorry is creepy without relying on constant violence, emotionally engaging without slowing the mystery and twisty without becoming impossible to follow. Lisa Gardner delivers an absorbing standalone thriller in which the house has a history, the land has a legend, and nearly everyone has something to lose when the truth finally surfaces.
Readers who enjoy cold cases, isolated properties, complicated marriages, small-town suspicion, family secrets and gothic-tinged crime fiction should place this high on their reading list. You’ll Be Sorry is a gripping, memorable read that deserves every bit of the praise it is bound to receive. It is a brilliant entry point for Gardner newcomers and a deeply satisfying treat for long-time fans. Atmospheric, emotionally resonant, and constantly shifting the ground beneath the reader's feet, it is a book you'll be genuinely sorry you missed.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Some places don’t just have history; they have scars. In her highly anticipated new standalone thriller, You’ll Be Sorry, master storyteller Lisa Gardner constructs a masterfully crafted, noose-tightening tale of deep-rooted family secrets, cursed land, and the agonizing weight of the past. It is an evocative, deliciously twisted ride that proves once again why Gardner is a titan of the suspense genre.
Set against the creepy, isolated backdrop of a tiny New Hampshire mountain village, You’ll Be Sorry strikes a flawless balance between warm, approachable characters and a dark, suffocating sense of dread. The plot hooks you from the opening pages and never lets go, weaving a web of tension so thick you'll find yourself reading late into the night, whispering, "just one more chapter."
The Setup & The Setting
The story centres on the Dixon family lodge. Once the crown jewel of the mountains in Shereford, New Hampshire, it became the epicentre of a horrific mystery thirty years ago when both parents and their four children vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a trail of bloody footprints.
Decades later, the derelict property gets new occupants, but digging too deep into this cursed land comes with a price. When a stray dog unearths human remains on the property, the town's oldest cold case explodes back to life, forcing the locals, the new neighbours, and the law to unravel what really happened on that August night. Shereford isn't just a place where the story happens; with its forgotten wells, whispers of witchcraft, eerie local rhymes ("Ding dong bell, the witch is in the well"), and generations of buried trauma, the town itself becomes a living, breathing character in the mystery.
The Cast of Characters
Gardner’s greatest triumph in this novel is her brilliant use of multiple perspectives. She acts as a master puppet master, giving each character a voice so distinct, sharp, and authentic that you are never left confused.
1. Raquel Collins: A renowned interior designer who met and married her husband in a matter of months. Guarded and carrying deep personal secrets, Raquel is navigating the profound, ongoing trauma of a recent miscarriage. Her grief shapes her every choice, making her an emotionally complex and fiercely compelling protagonist.
2. Theo Collins: Raquel’s husband, a brash and highly successful financial wizard. Theo balances Raquel's guarded nature with warmth, optimism, and an endearing vulnerability. He isn't just a perfect husband archetype; he feels entirely genuine as he tries to help his wife rebuild their lives after an unimaginable loss.
3. Amanda Grady: The recently appointed Shereford Police Chief. Amanda is a fantastic, highly rootable heroine fighting to step out from the long shadow of her late father, the original investigator who failed to solve the Dixon disappearance thirty years prior. Watching her piece together clues while navigating the rigid expectations and quiet hostilities of a small town makes her journey exceptionally satisfying.
4. The Dogs: In a delightful twist, the canine characters in this book deserve their own billing. Far from background window-dressing, they bring genuine heart and humor to a dark narrative, actively driving the investigation forward in ways the human characters never could.
Rich Prose and Multi-Layered Suspense.
For readers who might expect the straightforward, plot-only prose typical of mainstream crime factory thrillers, Gardner will be a spectacular surprise. Her writing here is remarkably rich. She possesses the rare ability to establish an entire character’s heartbreaking life story in just three pages, making you care deeply about them before throwing them into the gauntlet. Her characters have a brilliant edge; they are warm and instantly likeable, but possess a grit that ensures they won't hesitate to tell a nosy neighbour to screw off.
The narrative successfully juggles an impressive number of moving pieces: multiple timelines, hidden identities, regional folklore, and personal grief. Gardner masterfully distracts you with one central mystery while quietly introducing another right under your nose. While a few of the late-stage connections and resolutions involving the "babies and wells" storyline come together a bit too quickly and conveniently, the breakneck pacing ensures you won't care. You are simply along for the ride.
My Verdict.
You’ll Be Sorry is creepy without relying on constant violence, emotionally engaging without slowing the mystery and twisty without becoming impossible to follow. Lisa Gardner delivers an absorbing standalone thriller in which the house has a history, the land has a legend, and nearly everyone has something to lose when the truth finally surfaces.
Readers who enjoy cold cases, isolated properties, complicated marriages, small-town suspicion, family secrets and gothic-tinged crime fiction should place this high on their reading list. You’ll Be Sorry is a gripping, memorable read that deserves every bit of the praise it is bound to receive. It is a brilliant entry point for Gardner newcomers and a deeply satisfying treat for long-time fans. Atmospheric, emotionally resonant, and constantly shifting the ground beneath the reader's feet, it is a book you'll be genuinely sorry you missed.
July 25, 2026
Lisa Gardner’s You’ll Be Sorry reminded me that some places don’t just have history—they have scars. Every page made me question who I could trust, what really happened thirty years ago, and whether any amount of fresh paint could ever hide the truth. Grand Central Publishing, thank you so much for the gifted copy.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“If a moth is drawn to a flame, then the Dixon family has always been my bonfire.”
Lisa Gardner has always been one of those authors I pick up with complete confidence. I know I’m going to get a gripping mystery, believable characters, and enough suspense to keep me saying, “Just one more chapter.” You’ll Be Sorry delivered all of that while giving me one of my favorite standalone thrillers she’s written in years.
The story begins with Raquel and Theo Collins, newlyweds trying to rebuild their lives after an unimaginable loss. Hoping for a fresh start, they purchase the long-abandoned Dixon lodge in the tiny mountain town of Shereford, New Hampshire. The property comes with breathtaking views, endless renovation projects, and one enormous problem—thirty years earlier, the entire Dixon family vanished from the home without leaving behind a single answer. Only bloody footprints remained.
When a stray dog discovers human remains on the property, the town’s oldest mystery explodes back to life.
One of my favorite parts of this novel was the cast of characters. Raquel immediately intrigued me because it was obvious she was carrying secrets she wasn’t ready to share. Theo balanced her guarded nature with warmth and optimism, making their marriage feel genuine instead of perfect. Their grief quietly shaped many of their decisions, adding an emotional layer that made me care about them far beyond simply solving the mystery.
Amanda Grady quickly became another favorite. Recently appointed as Shereford’s police chief, she’s living in the shadow of her late father, the man who originally investigated the Dixon disappearance. Watching Amanda slowly piece together clues while fighting the expectations of a small town made her feel authentic and easy to root for.
And then there were the dogs.
Seriously…the dogs deserve recognition. They weren’t simply background companions. They added humor, heart, and more than once pushed the investigation in directions the humans never would have discovered. Any thriller that gives me memorable canine characters automatically earns bonus points.
Gardner also creates an atmosphere that practically wraps around you. The isolated mountains, abandoned lodge, forgotten wells, local legends, whispers of witchcraft, and generations of buried secrets all combine into a setting that feels alive. Shereford isn’t simply where the story happens—it becomes part of the mystery itself.
What impressed me most was how many moving pieces Gardner successfully balanced. There are multiple timelines, several interconnected mysteries, damaged families, hidden identities, folklore, grief, and long-buried betrayals. Somehow, instead of becoming overwhelming, every new revelation made me even more invested. Every time I thought I understood what was happening, Gardner quietly shifted the ground beneath my feet.
Yes, you’ll need to suspend disbelief a little toward the end, but honestly, I didn’t mind. By that point I was completely invested in these characters and happily along for the ride.
If you love atmospheric thrillers filled with cold cases, isolated settings, small-town secrets, layered mysteries, emotionally complex characters, and twists that genuinely surprise you, this belongs on your must-read list.
Genre: Mystery Thriller • Suspense • Gothic Mystery
Drink Pairing: A Smoked Blackberry Bourbon Sour. Rich bourbon, tart blackberry, fresh lemon, and a whisper of smoke perfectly capture the eerie mountain setting, hidden secrets, and lingering darkness surrounding the Dixon lodge.
Have you ever read a thriller where the setting became just as memorable as the mystery itself? I’d love to hear your favorites.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“If a moth is drawn to a flame, then the Dixon family has always been my bonfire.”
Lisa Gardner has always been one of those authors I pick up with complete confidence. I know I’m going to get a gripping mystery, believable characters, and enough suspense to keep me saying, “Just one more chapter.” You’ll Be Sorry delivered all of that while giving me one of my favorite standalone thrillers she’s written in years.
The story begins with Raquel and Theo Collins, newlyweds trying to rebuild their lives after an unimaginable loss. Hoping for a fresh start, they purchase the long-abandoned Dixon lodge in the tiny mountain town of Shereford, New Hampshire. The property comes with breathtaking views, endless renovation projects, and one enormous problem—thirty years earlier, the entire Dixon family vanished from the home without leaving behind a single answer. Only bloody footprints remained.
When a stray dog discovers human remains on the property, the town’s oldest mystery explodes back to life.
One of my favorite parts of this novel was the cast of characters. Raquel immediately intrigued me because it was obvious she was carrying secrets she wasn’t ready to share. Theo balanced her guarded nature with warmth and optimism, making their marriage feel genuine instead of perfect. Their grief quietly shaped many of their decisions, adding an emotional layer that made me care about them far beyond simply solving the mystery.
Amanda Grady quickly became another favorite. Recently appointed as Shereford’s police chief, she’s living in the shadow of her late father, the man who originally investigated the Dixon disappearance. Watching Amanda slowly piece together clues while fighting the expectations of a small town made her feel authentic and easy to root for.
And then there were the dogs.
Seriously…the dogs deserve recognition. They weren’t simply background companions. They added humor, heart, and more than once pushed the investigation in directions the humans never would have discovered. Any thriller that gives me memorable canine characters automatically earns bonus points.
Gardner also creates an atmosphere that practically wraps around you. The isolated mountains, abandoned lodge, forgotten wells, local legends, whispers of witchcraft, and generations of buried secrets all combine into a setting that feels alive. Shereford isn’t simply where the story happens—it becomes part of the mystery itself.
What impressed me most was how many moving pieces Gardner successfully balanced. There are multiple timelines, several interconnected mysteries, damaged families, hidden identities, folklore, grief, and long-buried betrayals. Somehow, instead of becoming overwhelming, every new revelation made me even more invested. Every time I thought I understood what was happening, Gardner quietly shifted the ground beneath my feet.
Yes, you’ll need to suspend disbelief a little toward the end, but honestly, I didn’t mind. By that point I was completely invested in these characters and happily along for the ride.
If you love atmospheric thrillers filled with cold cases, isolated settings, small-town secrets, layered mysteries, emotionally complex characters, and twists that genuinely surprise you, this belongs on your must-read list.
Genre: Mystery Thriller • Suspense • Gothic Mystery
Drink Pairing: A Smoked Blackberry Bourbon Sour. Rich bourbon, tart blackberry, fresh lemon, and a whisper of smoke perfectly capture the eerie mountain setting, hidden secrets, and lingering darkness surrounding the Dixon lodge.
Have you ever read a thriller where the setting became just as memorable as the mystery itself? I’d love to hear your favorites.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In another masterpiece of a crime thriller, Lisa Gardner has shown us all exactly how to write a fast-paced, twisty, complex, unputdownable novel. You see, in her newest standalone book, You’ll Be Sorry, there weren’t just multi-layered mysteries, plot-shifting twists, and tons of delicious dark secrets, but there was also some serious depth to these approachable yet colorfully gritty characters (which included some adorable dogs). Don’t get me wrong, the setting was a huge part of what made this book sing. Dark, creepy, and with a strong sense of place, the isolated mountain town was immersive storytelling at its best. Paired with a Gothic vibe straight out of a Tana French novel and an atmosphere reminiscent of Jane Harper’s The Dry, and it also somehow felt like a return to the style found in Gardner’s early standalone novels. Fear not, though, it still had the edge-of-your-seat feel from her Frankie Elkins series as well.
I do have to say, though, that while I was utterly blown away by the twisty plotting and creepy vibes, the high emotional stakes and hard-hitting backstories were what kept my butt pinned to my chair. Through several POVs—each with a distinct voice—and multiple timelines, the story gradually unraveled as the historical cold case and present-day mystery wound closer and closer. It wasn’t until the plot exploded sky high about two-thirds of the way in, however, that my heart began to race as my adrenaline spiked. You see, I was absolutely blown away by how the well-set-up yet shocking twists and oodles of side-eye-worthy suspects came together to make the finale impossible to guess. Just be forewarned that you’re going to need to suspend your disbelief towards the end. Don’t get me wrong, I was more than happy to put that hat on as I inhaled this claustrophobic and dread-fueled knockout of a read. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Read if you’re also a fan of:
- Family dysfunction
- A dark history
- Small-town settings
- Multiple POVs
- Interconnected timelines
- Family secrets
- Well-layered suspense
- Emotional depth
- Long-buried secrets
- Hidden identities
- A strong sense of place
- Twisty plotting
- Unguessable endings
- Gothic vibes
- Cold-case mysteries
- Gradual reveals
- Untrustworthy characters
- Razor—sharp humor
SYNOPSIS:
For Raquel and Theo Collins, it appeared to be love at first sight. Raquel, a renowned interior designer, and Theo, a brash financial wizard met and married in a matter of months, only to confront a terrible tragedy. Now, unbearably aware of the distance between them, they’ve come to a remote town in New Hampshire to begin anew.
Perched on a ledge with stunning views, the Dixon’s family lodge was once a crown jewel of the mountains. Until late one August night, when both parents and their four children vanished, leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints, and a mystery that has endured for thirty years. Now, its latest occupants, the Collinses, are arriving, and the former grand lodge is once more stirring to life.
For Amanda Grady, following in her father’s footsteps as the recently appointed Shereford police chief, it’s good to see a fresh start for the derelict Dixon place. However, not everyone is happy about a new family in the old home and its hidden past may have returned with a vengeance.
When a stray dog leads to the discovery of a skeleton on the property, Raquel and Theo face a daunting choice of what to believe, who to trust, and how to survive. Because in the tiny village of Shereford the time has come. The local residents, the new neighbors, and the fledgling police chief must work together to unravel the terrifying events that happened one night thirty years ago, or…
You’ll be sorry.
Thank you Lisa Gardner and Grand Central Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: August 4, 2026
Content warning: murder, child abuse, child death, missing persons, grief, violence, emotional abuse, mention of: miscarriage
I do have to say, though, that while I was utterly blown away by the twisty plotting and creepy vibes, the high emotional stakes and hard-hitting backstories were what kept my butt pinned to my chair. Through several POVs—each with a distinct voice—and multiple timelines, the story gradually unraveled as the historical cold case and present-day mystery wound closer and closer. It wasn’t until the plot exploded sky high about two-thirds of the way in, however, that my heart began to race as my adrenaline spiked. You see, I was absolutely blown away by how the well-set-up yet shocking twists and oodles of side-eye-worthy suspects came together to make the finale impossible to guess. Just be forewarned that you’re going to need to suspend your disbelief towards the end. Don’t get me wrong, I was more than happy to put that hat on as I inhaled this claustrophobic and dread-fueled knockout of a read. Rating of 4.5 stars.
Read if you’re also a fan of:
- Family dysfunction
- A dark history
- Small-town settings
- Multiple POVs
- Interconnected timelines
- Family secrets
- Well-layered suspense
- Emotional depth
- Long-buried secrets
- Hidden identities
- A strong sense of place
- Twisty plotting
- Unguessable endings
- Gothic vibes
- Cold-case mysteries
- Gradual reveals
- Untrustworthy characters
- Razor—sharp humor
SYNOPSIS:
For Raquel and Theo Collins, it appeared to be love at first sight. Raquel, a renowned interior designer, and Theo, a brash financial wizard met and married in a matter of months, only to confront a terrible tragedy. Now, unbearably aware of the distance between them, they’ve come to a remote town in New Hampshire to begin anew.
Perched on a ledge with stunning views, the Dixon’s family lodge was once a crown jewel of the mountains. Until late one August night, when both parents and their four children vanished, leaving behind a trail of bloody footprints, and a mystery that has endured for thirty years. Now, its latest occupants, the Collinses, are arriving, and the former grand lodge is once more stirring to life.
For Amanda Grady, following in her father’s footsteps as the recently appointed Shereford police chief, it’s good to see a fresh start for the derelict Dixon place. However, not everyone is happy about a new family in the old home and its hidden past may have returned with a vengeance.
When a stray dog leads to the discovery of a skeleton on the property, Raquel and Theo face a daunting choice of what to believe, who to trust, and how to survive. Because in the tiny village of Shereford the time has come. The local residents, the new neighbors, and the fledgling police chief must work together to unravel the terrifying events that happened one night thirty years ago, or…
You’ll be sorry.
Thank you Lisa Gardner and Grand Central Publishing for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
PUB DATE: August 4, 2026
Content warning: murder, child abuse, child death, missing persons, grief, violence, emotional abuse, mention of: miscarriage
August 9, 2026
4 1/2 Stars
The haunting Prologue of this novel tells it all. A couple who are seemingly very much in love and quite physically attracted to each other, that is until they begin to really talk to each other and realize they each have secrets that they must come to terms with. It appears that this moment may never come as the last picture we have of them is their bodies falling to the snowy earth outside a cabin in the woods, some blood covering them, and the falling snow continuing to cover their bodies where they now lay.
Those images are indeed quite difficult to forget and tell the reader all they need to know about the latest stand-along novel from thriller author Lisa Gardner, YOU’LL BE SORRY. The images we experienced in the Prologue are met by some just as powerful in the first chapter, which is set during 1998 in the small town of Shereford, New Hampshire. We first encounter the stray dog that the town affectionately came to know a simply ‘Dog’. He was adopted by most residents and became a fixture. Then the Dixon family arrived for their summer stay on the family farm they visited annually from New York. The four young children came across Dog, and they officially took him in. What a surprise when Dog turned up back in town one night, seemingly to beckon someone to come out to the Dixon’s farm. There inside the large cabin where the family stayed, Police Chief Grady found signs of them having left in a hurry with bloody footprints all over the surrounding area. Dog urged him to look outside, but the Dixon family would never be seen again.
Now, in the current day, Mandy Grady has followed in her father’s footsteps. She is the bastion of safety in her small community; a community filled with secrets and a dark past. Once the events of the Prologue and the eerie first chapter are tied together, readers will see just how big a task awaits Mandy Grady. The biggest hurdle will be getting past a community that does not want some secrets to be broken, at any cost. The new Chief Grady stops by to welcome the newest residents of her little berg, a couple named Theo and Raquel who have settled in on the property once owned by the Dixon family. While they are well aware of that tragic cold case, they have no idea just how deep the wounds still are in Shereford or the fact that some of the locals are not a bit happy about these wounds being reopened or anyone potentially seeking the truth behind the disappearance of the Dixon family nearly thirty years ago.
Theo and Raquel do not just sit idly by on their new property, and, in between bouts of remodeling, they begin to delve into the mystery of the Dixon family. What they find precedes not just the family that disappeared in 1978 but centuries of history with the Dixon family and that town. Dogs seem to play a big role in this story and when a stray wanders on to the property to be found by Raquel, they welcome him to their new home. However, when that dog come across some bones on the property that are distinctly human, a connection to the dark and deadly past of the land they are on smacks them in the face and history may soon repeat itself.
It is difficult to go into much deeper detail without giving away some of the spicy and extremely intense plotting that Lisa Gardner brings forth throughout YOU’LL BE SORRY. This novel is not only one of her darkest but also one of her most complex and ultimately will be remembered as a story that will resonate deeply with any reader who dares to dive in.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
The haunting Prologue of this novel tells it all. A couple who are seemingly very much in love and quite physically attracted to each other, that is until they begin to really talk to each other and realize they each have secrets that they must come to terms with. It appears that this moment may never come as the last picture we have of them is their bodies falling to the snowy earth outside a cabin in the woods, some blood covering them, and the falling snow continuing to cover their bodies where they now lay.
Those images are indeed quite difficult to forget and tell the reader all they need to know about the latest stand-along novel from thriller author Lisa Gardner, YOU’LL BE SORRY. The images we experienced in the Prologue are met by some just as powerful in the first chapter, which is set during 1998 in the small town of Shereford, New Hampshire. We first encounter the stray dog that the town affectionately came to know a simply ‘Dog’. He was adopted by most residents and became a fixture. Then the Dixon family arrived for their summer stay on the family farm they visited annually from New York. The four young children came across Dog, and they officially took him in. What a surprise when Dog turned up back in town one night, seemingly to beckon someone to come out to the Dixon’s farm. There inside the large cabin where the family stayed, Police Chief Grady found signs of them having left in a hurry with bloody footprints all over the surrounding area. Dog urged him to look outside, but the Dixon family would never be seen again.
Now, in the current day, Mandy Grady has followed in her father’s footsteps. She is the bastion of safety in her small community; a community filled with secrets and a dark past. Once the events of the Prologue and the eerie first chapter are tied together, readers will see just how big a task awaits Mandy Grady. The biggest hurdle will be getting past a community that does not want some secrets to be broken, at any cost. The new Chief Grady stops by to welcome the newest residents of her little berg, a couple named Theo and Raquel who have settled in on the property once owned by the Dixon family. While they are well aware of that tragic cold case, they have no idea just how deep the wounds still are in Shereford or the fact that some of the locals are not a bit happy about these wounds being reopened or anyone potentially seeking the truth behind the disappearance of the Dixon family nearly thirty years ago.
Theo and Raquel do not just sit idly by on their new property, and, in between bouts of remodeling, they begin to delve into the mystery of the Dixon family. What they find precedes not just the family that disappeared in 1978 but centuries of history with the Dixon family and that town. Dogs seem to play a big role in this story and when a stray wanders on to the property to be found by Raquel, they welcome him to their new home. However, when that dog come across some bones on the property that are distinctly human, a connection to the dark and deadly past of the land they are on smacks them in the face and history may soon repeat itself.
It is difficult to go into much deeper detail without giving away some of the spicy and extremely intense plotting that Lisa Gardner brings forth throughout YOU’LL BE SORRY. This novel is not only one of her darkest but also one of her most complex and ultimately will be remembered as a story that will resonate deeply with any reader who dares to dive in.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Shereford is a quaint New Hampshire town and it’s where the Dixon family have owned a large summer property for many years. It’s stunning with amazing views of the White Mountains. However, one stormy August night thirty years ago, the parents and their four children vanish without trace and are never seen again. Over the years, the mansion falls into disrepair, it’s been neglected and vandals have done their worst. Now though, it’s been sold to a wealthy young couple, Theo (handsome, rich, lovely personality and all that!) and Raquel Collins who vow to bring it back to life. Newly appointed police chief Amanda Grady visits the couple and they raise questions about the Dixon mystery which she agrees to look into. As she’s leaving a stray dog suddenly appears at the property and leads them to the eventual discovery of a skeleton in an abandoned well. It seems the chequered past of the property has “reared its head”. Who can the couple, and indeed Amanda trust and will the truth of the Dixon family finally be resolved? Maybe, maybe not, maybe they’ll all be sorry, ding dong.
A cold case, the atmosphere of a small claustrophobic New Hampshire town where everyone knows everyone and everything, a dilapidated property with history attached, a rich couple, a new police chief trying to prove herself – I’m all in and hooked! The atmosphere is fabulous, it’s intense, the cold weather adds to the inevitable chills of the storytelling and it positively fizzes with mystery. Oh and dogs – mustn’t forget them! There’s additionally a mystery attached to Raquel, she carries a lot of pain and sorrow and so she’s very intriguing and enigmatic. As for Theo, what you see is what you get - a genuinely nice man with a big heart.
As the novel progresses, Lisa Gardner adds in a Gothic element, the area is rich in legends and the Dixon property is entwined with that and central to it. In places it’s very chilling and there are some inserts which are both puzzling, as to who they are aimed at and why, but also because of what they say. They’re disturbing, eerie and creepy. It becomes clear this small place has more than its fair share of secrets, tragedy and evil and as the storytelling unfolds it’s quite macabre at times and unsettling.
I really enjoy the first two thirds or so, the storytelling is very strong and I’m genuinely gripped but I’m not quite so sure about the last third. It’s certainly exciting, twisty but maybe a bit frantic. It’s necessary to put on those disbelief suspenders but that’s not to say I don’t enjoy it.
Overall, if you like atmospheric reads then this latest Lisa Gardner standalone has it in spades.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Cornerstone/Century for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
A cold case, the atmosphere of a small claustrophobic New Hampshire town where everyone knows everyone and everything, a dilapidated property with history attached, a rich couple, a new police chief trying to prove herself – I’m all in and hooked! The atmosphere is fabulous, it’s intense, the cold weather adds to the inevitable chills of the storytelling and it positively fizzes with mystery. Oh and dogs – mustn’t forget them! There’s additionally a mystery attached to Raquel, she carries a lot of pain and sorrow and so she’s very intriguing and enigmatic. As for Theo, what you see is what you get - a genuinely nice man with a big heart.
As the novel progresses, Lisa Gardner adds in a Gothic element, the area is rich in legends and the Dixon property is entwined with that and central to it. In places it’s very chilling and there are some inserts which are both puzzling, as to who they are aimed at and why, but also because of what they say. They’re disturbing, eerie and creepy. It becomes clear this small place has more than its fair share of secrets, tragedy and evil and as the storytelling unfolds it’s quite macabre at times and unsettling.
I really enjoy the first two thirds or so, the storytelling is very strong and I’m genuinely gripped but I’m not quite so sure about the last third. It’s certainly exciting, twisty but maybe a bit frantic. It’s necessary to put on those disbelief suspenders but that’s not to say I don’t enjoy it.
Overall, if you like atmospheric reads then this latest Lisa Gardner standalone has it in spades.
With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Random House U.K., Cornerstone/Century for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.
August 10, 2026
The haunting prologue of YOU’LL BE SORRY tells it all. A couple is seemingly very much in love and physically attracted to each other. But once they sit down and really begin to talk, they realize they have secrets with which they must come to terms. Sadly it appears this moment may never come as the last picture we have of them is their bodies falling to the snowy earth outside a cabin in the woods, and they are covered in blood.
These images are quite difficult to forget and tell readers all they need to know about Lisa Gardner’s latest novel. In the opening chapter, which is set in 1998, we encounter the stray dog that the tiny, isolated mountain village of Shereford, New Hampshire, affectionately has come to know simply as “Dog.” He has been adopted by most residents and become a fixture.
Then the Dixons arrive from New York on the family farm that they visit each year. The four Dixon children come across Dog, and they officially take him in. What a surprise when Dog turns up back in town one night, seemingly to beckon someone to come out to the farm. Inside the large cabin, Police Chief Grady finds signs of the Dixons having left in a hurry, with bloody footprints all over the surrounding area. Dog urges him to look outside, but they will never be seen again.
In the present day, Amanda Grady has followed in her father’s footsteps. She is the bastion of safety in her small town, which is filled with secrets and a dark past. Once the events of the prologue and the eerie first chapter are tied together, readers will see just how big a task awaits Mandy. The greatest hurdle will be getting past a community that does not want certain secrets to be revealed at any cost.
Mandy stops by to welcome Raquel and Theo Collins, who have moved into the lodge once owned by the Dixons. While they are well aware of that tragic cold case, they have no idea just how deep the wounds still are in Shereford. They also don’t know that some of the locals are not happy about these wounds being reopened or anyone potentially seeking the truth behind the Dixons’ disappearance.
Raquel and Theo do not sit by idly. As they’re remodeling, they begin to delve into this mystery. Dogs seem to play a big role in the story. When a stray wanders onto the property, they welcome him to their new home. However, when he comes across some bones that are distinctly human, a connection to the dark and deadly past of the land they inhabit smacks them in the face, and history may soon repeat itself.
It is difficult to go into greater detail without giving away some of the spicy and extremely intense plotting that Lisa Gardner brings forth throughout YOU’LL BE SORRY. One of her darkest and most complex novels to date, it will resonate deeply with any reader who dares to dive into it.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
These images are quite difficult to forget and tell readers all they need to know about Lisa Gardner’s latest novel. In the opening chapter, which is set in 1998, we encounter the stray dog that the tiny, isolated mountain village of Shereford, New Hampshire, affectionately has come to know simply as “Dog.” He has been adopted by most residents and become a fixture.
Then the Dixons arrive from New York on the family farm that they visit each year. The four Dixon children come across Dog, and they officially take him in. What a surprise when Dog turns up back in town one night, seemingly to beckon someone to come out to the farm. Inside the large cabin, Police Chief Grady finds signs of the Dixons having left in a hurry, with bloody footprints all over the surrounding area. Dog urges him to look outside, but they will never be seen again.
In the present day, Amanda Grady has followed in her father’s footsteps. She is the bastion of safety in her small town, which is filled with secrets and a dark past. Once the events of the prologue and the eerie first chapter are tied together, readers will see just how big a task awaits Mandy. The greatest hurdle will be getting past a community that does not want certain secrets to be revealed at any cost.
Mandy stops by to welcome Raquel and Theo Collins, who have moved into the lodge once owned by the Dixons. While they are well aware of that tragic cold case, they have no idea just how deep the wounds still are in Shereford. They also don’t know that some of the locals are not happy about these wounds being reopened or anyone potentially seeking the truth behind the Dixons’ disappearance.
Raquel and Theo do not sit by idly. As they’re remodeling, they begin to delve into this mystery. Dogs seem to play a big role in the story. When a stray wanders onto the property, they welcome him to their new home. However, when he comes across some bones that are distinctly human, a connection to the dark and deadly past of the land they inhabit smacks them in the face, and history may soon repeat itself.
It is difficult to go into greater detail without giving away some of the spicy and extremely intense plotting that Lisa Gardner brings forth throughout YOU’LL BE SORRY. One of her darkest and most complex novels to date, it will resonate deeply with any reader who dares to dive into it.
Reviewed by Ray Palen
Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews